Stamp forming apparatus



Nov. 14, 1950 s. DIUK 2,529,543

STAMP FORMING APPARATUS Filed May 28, 1947 s Sheets-Sheet 1 1/ F129,? Evy/$6446 Qty/ M ATTORNEYS Nov. 14, 1950 s. DIUK 2,529,543

STAMP FORMING APPARATUS Filed May 28, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 107 I nll'lu 151 1 l 1 1/76 :lnun 109 I I F 91; I h

ull! 1/9 [NVENTUR 76 BY Si'anleyfiiuh 75 $M 3% ATTORNEYS Nov. 14, 11950 s. DIUK STAMP FORMING APPARATUS Filed May 28, 1947 [NVENTOR l fiaizley ill/$3 Armzewzys Patented Nov. 14, 1950 STAMP FORMING APPARATUS Stanley Dink, Canton, Ohio, assignor to Trix-Mark Mfg, Inc., Canton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application May 28, 1947, Serial No. 750,921

11 Claims.

The invention relates generally to the manu facture of metal stamps or stencils having a numeral or designation embossed in reverse on one end and adapted, when struck with a hammer on the opposite end, to impress the designation in a surface to be marked.

Ordinarily, such stamps are made from bars of tool steel and the like, and the embossed designation is laboriously cut by hand on one end of each bar, the bar being subsequently hardened. When such stamps become dulled and worn, new stamps are made by the same slow hand method.

Certain prior machines for making stamps have included a die-block oscillatable with respect to a fixed stamp blank, there being means for moving one end of the blank axially into abutment with the die block whereby the end of the stamp is pressure swaged into the die block impression to emboss the end of the stamp. In such prior machines the oscillating movement of the die block must be very slight to avoid damaging the metal walls of the die impression, and it is very difiicult, if not impossible, to form a sharpedged embossing which is not convexly rounded. Thus, very little variation is possible in the size of the blanks or the embossings thereon, and excessive pressure is required to force the end of the stamp into the die impression.

It is an object of the present invention to provide novel and improved apparatus for embossing the ends of metal stamp blanks.

Another object is to provide improved apparatus which is adapted to form designations on the ends of stamps over a wide range of sizes.

A further object is to provide improved apparatus which makes it possible to emboss a large number of stamps from a single die block.

Another object is to provide novel and improved apparatus for forming a sharp-edge embossing on the ends of stamp blanks.

A further object is to provide a novel and improved apparatus havin means for oscillating both a die and stamp blank simultaneously to roller swage the end of the blank into the die impression.

These and other objects are accomplished by the constructions, arrangements, and combinations which comprise the .present invention, the nature of which is set forth in the following general statement, preferred embodiments of which are set forth in the following description and illustrated in the drawings and which i particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims forming part hereof.

In general terms, the present invention may be defined as including a stamp blank holder and a die block mounted in opposin relation thereto with power means for oscillating both holders simultaneously in the same direction, one of the handles being movable axially toward the other to bring the blank and die block into abutment for roller swaging the end of the blank into the die impression to form a sharp-edged embossing in reverse on the end of said blank.

Referring to the drawings forming part hereof in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown by way of example;

Figure l is a plan elevational view of one embodiment of a machine comprising the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof, parts being broken away and in section;

Fig. 3 is a plan elevation of another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation thereof, parts being broken away and in section;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 4, showing the method of separating the die blocks for replacing a stamp blank; and

Fig. 6 is a series of fragmentary sectional views showing different positions of the stamp blank and die during the oscillating movement thereof.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, the embodiment of the invention shown therein comprises a machine having a metal frame including four flanged legs H! for supporting the machine on the floor, the bottom ends of the legs preferably having inturned flanges H which are anchored to the floor by bolts or screws l2. At their upper ends, the legs 10 are connected in pairs by longitudinal side frame members [3, and the side frame members iii are connected at one end by a cross member I l preferably having outturned flanges l5 secured to the side frame members by bolts !6. The opposite ends of the side frame members [3 are preferably connected by a plate 11 which is secured by bolts It to the outturned flanges on the legs [0.

A stamp blank holder indicated generally at 293 is oscillatably mounted on the side frame members l3 by means of pivot shaft 2] journaled in bearings 22 formed on the interiors of the side frame members I3. The blank holder 20 preferably includes a sleeve portion 23 mounted on the pivot shaft 2! and having a forwardly projecting arm 2 t provided with screw thread 25 on its front end. A chucking sleeve 26 is screwed 0n the threads 25 and is adapted to wedgea y gage jaws 21 within the sleeve for tightly gripping a stamping black 28 with its end projecting outwardly from the jaws.

The blank holder also includes flanged lever members 29 on each side of the sleeve 23 and mounted on the pivot shaft 2| and a bar 30 extends across and is secured to the top portions of levers 29 for threadedly mounting an adjusting screw 3| for adjusting the position of the arm 24 relative to the levers 29 so that the neutral or horizontal position of the blank 28 can be adjusted slightly with respect to the die block against which it is to be pressed. Normally, the arm 24 rests on a transverse abutment bar 32 seemed to the underparts of the levers 29, and shims may be interposed between the arm 24 and the bar 32 for abutting the arm 24 in the adjusted position of the stamp blank.

Each of the levers 29 has a depending arm 33, and the arms 33 have sleeve 34 at their lower ends which journal the end portions of a transverse pivot pin 35 extending between the depending arms 33. A reciprocating member 36 has one end which fits between the sleeves 34 and which has a slot 3'1 in which a bushing 38 journaled on the pin 35 is slidably mounted. Accordingly, vertical movement of the reciprocating member 35 will cause oscillating movement of the arms 33 of the lever 29, and the adjustable connection between the levers 29 and the arm 24 will cause corresponding oscillation of the jaws 21 holding the stamp blank 28. During this movement the movement of the pin 35 laterally of member 36 is taken care of by the sliding movement of the bushing 38 in the slot '31 of the reciprocating member.

The reciprocating member 36 has a depending arm 46 which is slidable in guides 4| mounted in a shelf member 42 which has brackets 43 at its ends secured by bolts 44 to the legs Ill. The sliding arm of the reciprocating member is pivotally connected to the upper end of the connecting rod 45 which is pivotally connected at its lower end to a crank on the crankshaft 46, the crankshaft being journaled in suitable brackets 41 depending from the shelf 42. As shown in Fig. 2, the crankshaft preferably has mounted thereon a driving pulley 48 which may be 01)- eratively connected to a suitable driving motor (not shown).

The die block holder is indicated generally at 50 and is preferably of U shape, having a forwardly extending head 5| in which the die block 52 is held in usual fashion as by a set screw 53'. The die block is preferably hardened tool steel having the desired die impression in its outer surface for forming the embossing on the projecting end of the stamp blank 28, the impression having been formed prior to hardening the die block.

The die block holder 50 preferably has rear- Wardly extending arms 54 which are preferably extended above and below the forward heat 5| for counter-balancing purposes, and the intermediate portions of the arms 54 are journaled on a transverse pivot shaft 55 to permit oscillating movement of the die block 52. The ends 55 of the pivot shaft 55 are journaled in bearings 5'! which have shouldered end plates 58 slidably mounted in slots 52 formed in the side frame members l3, so that the die block holder 50 may be adjusted toward and away from the stamp blank holder 20.

The means for adjusting the die block holder 50 preferably includes an adjusting shaft 60 having a hand wheel 6| on its outer end and thr ad d into a boss 62 formed on the transverse frame member Hi. The inner end of the shaft 60 is journaled in a bearing block 53 which in turn journals the central portion of the transverse pivot shaft 55.

The head 5| of the die block holder preferably has two depending lever arms 65 which journal a pivot pin 66, and the pivot pin is journaled in a bushing 6'l which is slidably mounted in a slot 88 formed in the reciprocating member 36 in the end thereof opposite the slot 31. The slot 68 is made longer than the slot 31, to allow for adjustment of the die block holder 5!] toward and away from the stamp blank holder 20.

In the operation of the machine, the die block holder is backed away from the stamp blank holder by manipulating the hand wheel 6 l, whereupon the die block 52 may be inserted in the head 5| and the set screw 53 tightened. The chucking sleeve 28 of the blank holder may then be turned on the threads 25 to loosen the jaws 21 for inserting a blank 28 therein and the sleeve 26 is then tightened to grip the blank with its end projecting from the jaws, as shown. The hand wheel 6| is manipulated to bring the die block closely adjacent to the end of the stamp blank, and the driving motor is then operated to rotate the crank shaft 46. As the crankshaft rotates, the reciprocating member 36 will be moved up and down in the guides 4| to give an oscillating movement to the die block holder 50 and the blank holder 20.

The simultaneous oscillating movement of the die block holder and blank holder takes place in the same direction about the pivots 55 and 2| respectively, and since the pivots are in the same horizontal plane, the blank most closely approaches the die block in the horizontal or neutral position, such as shown in Fig. 2. During the oscillating movement of the die block and blank, the hand wheel 6| is manipulated to gradually feed the die block toward the blank, with the result that as the end of the blank abuts the die block impression, the metal of the blank will gradually be roller swaged into the die impression to form a sharp-edged embossing in relief on the end of the blank.

Due to the fact that the blank 28 and the die block 52 oscillate together in the same direction about their pivots 2| and 55, the metal of the blank is gradually roller swaged into the die impression rather than pressure swaged by an axial thrust. Accordingly, the swaging of the metal takes place without tearing or damaging the walls and surfaces of the die impression, and the embossing which is formed is substantially the exact counterpart of the die impression. Because of this roller swaging action, embossings may be formed on a considerable variety of sizes of stamp blanks, without requiring excessive axial pressure between the blank and the die block. Moreover, by forming the embossed designation on the ends of stamp blanks before the blanks are hardened, a large number of the stamps may be embossed from a single hardened steel die block.

Referring to the embodiment of apparatus shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, this machine has considerably heavier die block and blank holding parts than the machine shown in Figs. 1 and 2, in order to adapt the machine for embossin larger and heavier stamp blanks.

The machine includes parallel spaced-apart side plates 15 secured to a transverse plate H at one end by screws 12, the side and end plates being supported on suitable legs 13 having supporting shoulders 14 at their upper ends and flanged feet 15 at their lower ends which may be secured to the floor as by screws I6.

The blank holder is preferably a solid block indicated generally at I! mounted on a pivot shaft 18 which is journaled in the side plates I of the frame. Spacer disks I9 are preferably journaled on the shaft 18 between the plates I8 and the holder block I! for centering the block between plates. Preferably, a counterweight 88 is secured to the outer surface of the block, as by welding, to facilitate raising the block to replace the stamp blank therein.

As best shown in Fig. 6, the stamp blank 28a is held in the block 11 by means of jaws 81 which are clamped around the blank by means of a set screw 82, the inner end of the blank being adapted to abut a filler disk 83 located at the bottom of the socket 84 which receives the inner end of the blank. The die block holder indicated generally at 85 is preferably a solid. block of metal mounted on a transverse pivot shaft 86, and having a set screw 81 for clamping the die block 52a in its front surface in position to be abutted by the projecting end of the blank 29a.

As shown, the die block holder 65 has a rear- Wardly projecting ear 88 journaled on the central shaft 86, the end portions of the pivot shaft 86 being mounted in spaced ears 89 projecting forwardly from a movable block 98. As indicated in Fig. 3, the block 90 has outwardly projecting ribs 9| on opposite sides, and the ribs are slidably supported on guides 92 formed on the side plates I0. The means for adjusting the block 98 on the guides 92 to move the die block 52a toward and away from the blank 28a preferably in- The side plates I0 have depending brackets 91 connected at their lower ends by a transverse bar 98, and. the bar 98 supports suitable bearings 99 at spaced intervals for journaling the crankshaft I88. The crankshaft has a crank I8I thereon to which the connecting rod is pivotally connected, and the upper end of the connecting r rod is pivotally connected by a pin I83 to ears I04 depending from the block 95.

Accordingly, when the crankshaft I00 is rotated, the connecting rod I02 will impart an oscillating movement to the pin I03 and the block 85 about the pivot shaft 86. The means for rotating the crankshaft I08 may be a suitable driving motor (not shown) which is operatively connected to a drive pulley on the outer end of the shaft and indicated at 4811 in dot-dash lines.

The means for oscillating the blank holder block 'I'I simultaneously and in the same direction as the block 85 preferably includes a pair of links I located at opposite sides of the blank holder block I1 and between the block and the side plates I8. The lower ends of the links I05 are journaled on the outer ends of the pivot pin I03 which connects the connecting rod I02 to the ears I84. The upper ends of the links I05 are journaled in the outer ends of spring pressed plunger rods I06 slidable in ears I01 projecting upwardly from the block I1 at opposite sides thereof. Thus, the links I85 pivotally connect the connecting rod pivot pin I83 to the ears I01 on the block 11, so that as the connecting rod oscillates the pin 6 I83 and die block holder about the pivot shaft 86, it also simultaneously oscillates the plunger pins I06 and the block 11 about the pivot shaft 18.

Means is provided for releasing the links I85 from the connection with the plunger pins I06, for allowing the block 11 to be swung upwardly as indicated in dot-dash lines for replacing a stamp blank. Such means preferably includes a latch member I08 located on top of the block TI and between the plunger pins I06. The latching member I08 has sockets I09 in its sides for receiving the inner ends of the pins I06, and the sockets have cam surfaces I89a for forcing the pins outwardly in the position of Figs. 3 and 4 to enter the ends of links I 05. The sockets I09 allow the pins to move inwardly in the position of Fig. 5 under the pressure of the springs I I0 and release themselves from engagement with the links I05. In order to maintain the links I05 in the released position of Fig. 5, ears III are provided at the tops of the links, and a tie rod H2 connects the ears II I.

The means for moving the latch member I88 from the locked position of Figs. 3 and 4 to the unlocked position of Fig. 5 and vice versa, preferably includes an L-shaped lever I I6 pivotally connected at IM to an intermediate portion of a handle I I5, and pivotally connected at its other end, as at II6, to a slide plate II'I having a slot I I8 in which a pin II9 secured in the block I! is slidable. Accordingly, when the handle H5 is in the position of Figs. 3 and 4 the pin H9 is at the left end of slot '8 and the latch member I08 is in position forcing the plunger pins I86 into pivotal connection with the links I85. When the handle is manipulated to the full line position of Fig. 5, the springs move the inner ends of the pivot pins I86 inwardly into the cam sockets I09a and disconnect them from the links I 85, so that the blank holder block TI may be manually swung to the open position such as shown in dot dash lines in Fig. 5, for removing and replacing the stamp blank therein.

The simultaneous oscillating movement of the blocks I1 and 85 is best illustrated in Fig. 6 which shows the relation between the blocks at the neutral position and at the upper and lower limits of movement. With the die block 52a and the blank 28a positioned in the blocks in the manner previously described, the hand wheel 6la is manipulated gradually to feed the die block holder 85 toward the blank holder TI to bring the end of the blank into abutment with the impres sion in the die block while the two blocks are oscillating. As clearly shown in the neutral position of Fig. 6, if the end of the blank is fully entered into the die block impressionin that position the blank and die block rotate about their pivots slightly away from each other during the oscillating movement above and below the neutral position, so as to roller swage the metal on the end of the blank into the die impression to form the embossed designation on the end of the blank. It is of course understood that the die block 52a has been hardened, while the blank 28a is not hardened until after the embossing is formed by the improved roller swaging operation.

Obviously, the oscillating movements of the die block holder and blank holder in the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2 are substantially identical to that of the die block and blank in the embodiment of Figs. 3, 4 and 5, so that the various positions illustrated in Fig. 6

7 are representative of the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2.

As set forth in connection with the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2, the roller swaging action between the blank 28a and die block 52a gradually swages the metal of the blank into the die impression without excessive pressure, and without damaging the walls and surfaces of the die impression. It follows that the sizes of the blanks to be embossed and the sizes of the embossings themselves may be varied to a substantial extent merely by changing the impressions in the die blocks, because the simultaneous oscillating movement of both the die block and the blank provides for roller swaging of various sizes of embossings without damage to the die block impression. It is also apparent that a great many stamps may be embossed from a single die impression.

In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness and understanding, but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior art, because such words are used for descriptive purposes herein and are intended to be broadly construed.

Moreover, the embodiments of the improved construction illustrated and described herein are by wayof example, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the exact details of construction.

Having now described the invention, the construction, the operation and use and preferred embodiments thereof, and the advantageous new and useful results obtained thereby; the new and useful constructions, and reasonable mechanical equivalents thereof obvious to those skilled in the art, are set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Stamp forming apparatus including a frame, a stamp blank holder and a die block holder, means pivotally mounting said holders in opposed relation in said frame, one of said pivotal mountings being slidable in said frame, screw means for feeding said slidably mount-ed holder toward and away from said other holder, power driven reciprocating means, and means operatively connecting said reciprocatin means to said holders for oscillating said holders simultaneously in the same direction.

2. Stamp forming apparatus including a frame, a stamp blank holder having a pivotal mounting in said frame, a die block holder having a. pivotal mounting in said frame axially parallel to the blank holder pivotal mounting, means slidably mounting one of said pivotal mountings in said frame, screw 1 leans for feeding said slidably mounted holder toward and away from said other holder, means mounting a die block with a die impression in the die block holder, means mounting a stamp blank in the stamp blank holder in opposed relation to said die block, and means for oscillating said holders simultaneously in the same direction for roller swaging the end of said blank into the impression of said die block.

3. Stamp forming apparatus including a frame, a pair of pivot shafts mounted in spaced parallel relation in said frame, one of said shafts being slidable toward the other, a stamp blank holder mounted on one of said shafts, a die block holder mounted on the other shaft, means for gripping a stamp blank and a die block in opposed relation in the respective holders, means operatively connected to said holders for oscillating them simultaneously in the same direction, and screw means for feedin one holder toward the other for roller swaging the end of the stamp blank into the die block impression as the holders oscillate.

4. Stamp forming apparatus including a frame. a stamp blank holder and a die block holder, means pivotally mounting said holders in opposed relation in said frame, a lever arm depending from the inner end of each holder, a member mounted on the frame for vertical reciprocating movement, means for reciprocating said member, and means providing sliding pivotal connections between each of said depending lever arms and the reciprocating member for oscillating said holders simultaneously in the same direction.

5. Stamp forming apparatus including a frame, a stamp blank holder and a die block holder, means pivotally mounting said holders in opposed relation in said frame, one of said pivotal mountings bein slidable in said frame toward and away from the other of said pivotal mountings, a lever arm depending from the inner end of each holder, a member mounted on the frame [or vertical reciprocatin movement, means for reciprocating said member, and means providing sliding pivotal connection between each of said depending leverarms and the reciprocating member for oscillating said holders simultaneously in the same direction.

6. Stamp forming apparatus including a frame, a pair of pivot shafts mounted in spaced parallel relation in said frame, a stamp blank holder mounted on one of said shafts, a die block holder mounted on the other shaft, mean for gripping a stamp blank and a die block in opposed relation in the respective holders, a lever arm depending from the inner end of each holder, a reciprocating member slidably mounted on the frame for vertical reciprocating movement, means for driving the reciprocating member, and means providing slidin pivotal connections between the depending lever arms and the reciprocating member for oscillating said holders simultaneously in the same direction.

'7. Stamp forming apparatus including a frame, a pair of pivot shafts mounted in spaced parallel relation in said frame, one of said shafts being slidable toward the other, a stamp blank holder mounted on one of said shafts, a die block holder mounted on the other shaft, means for gripping a stamp blank and a die block in opposed relation in the respective holders, a lever arm depending from the inner end of each holder, a reciprocating member slidabl mounted on the frame for vertical reciprocating movement, means driving the reciprocating member, means providing sliding pivotal connections between the depending lever arms and the reciprocating member for oscillatin said holders simultaneously in the same direction, and screw means for feeding one holder toward the other for roller swaging the end of the stamp blank into the die block impression as the holders os- 'cillate.

8. Stamp forming apparatus including a frame, a stamp blank holder and a die block holder, means pivotally mounting said holders in opposed relation in said frame, an ear depending from the inner end of one of said holders, a reciprocating member operatively connected to said ear for oscillating said one holder, an ear projecting upwardly from the inner end of the other holder, and a link pivotally connecting the reciprocating member with said upward projecting ear for oscillating said other holder,

9. Stamp forming apparatus including a frame, a stamp blank holder and a die block holder, means pivotally mounting said holders in opposed relation in said frame, one of said pivotal mountings being slidable in said frame toward and away from the other pivotal mounting, an ear depending from the inner end of one of said holders, a reciprocating member operatively connected to said ear for 0sci11ating said one holder, an ear projecting upwardly from the inner end of said other holder, a link pivotally connecting said dependin ear with said upwardly projecting ear for oscillating said other holder, and screw means for feeding said slidably mounted holder toward and away from said other holder.

10. Stamp forming apparatus including a frame, a stamp blank holder and a die block holder, means pivotally mounting said holders in opposed relation in said frame, an ear depending from the inner end of one of said holders, a reciprocating member operatively connected to said ear for oscillating said one holder, an

ear projecting upwardly from the inner end of the other holder, a pin slidable in said upwardly projecting ear, a link for pivotally connecting the reciprocating member to said pin, manually operable latch means for forcing said pin into connection with said link, and a spring normally urging the pin out of engagement with said link.

11. Stamp forming apparatus including a frame, a stamp blank holder and a die block holder, means pivotally mounting said holders in opposed relation in said frame, an ear depending from the inner end of one of said holders, a reciprocating member operatively connected to said ear for oscillating said one holder, an p je ti pward y from the inner end of the other holder, a pin slidable in said upwardly projecting ear, a link for pivotally connecting said depending ear to said pin, a latch member slidable on said other holder and having a cam surface for forcin said pin into connection with said link in one position of the latch member, and having a socket for permitting disengagement of said pin from said link in another position of said latch member, and a spring normally urging said pin into disengaged position.

STANLEY DIUK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 13,609 Weed Sept. 25, 1855 169,701 Howard Nov. 9, 1875 187,278 Howard Feb. 13, 1877 1,037,169 Pfau Aug. 27, 1912 

